Improvement in artificial-marble burial-cases



ZS-heets-Sheetl. J. H. DOUGLASS & J. E. SMITH.

,- ARTIFICIAL MARBLE BURIAL CASES. 110,182,309. Patented Sept; 19, 1876.

N4 PETERS, PHOTmuTHOGRAPl-IER. WASHINGTO D C,

, ZSheets-SheetZ. J. H. DOUGLASS Sg J. H. SMITH. I

ARTIFICIAL MARBLE BURIAL CASES. N 18Z,309, Patented Se p t.1 9,-1i876.

UNrrE STArEs ATENT Orrr JAMES H. DOUGLASS AND JAMES H. SMITH, OF roar HURON, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN ARTIFICIAL-MARBLE BURlAL-CASES.

Specification forming 'part of Letters Patent No. 182,309., dated September 19, 1876 application filed August 18, 1576.

to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to the manufacture or construction ofburial-caskets and other articles having an outer or external surface made to represent natural marble.

Theinvention consists in a new andimprovedmethod of uniting a material or combination of materials, which we call artificial marble, to a solid backing of slate, wood, metal, or other suitable material, the union of the two materials being effected through molds while the artificial marble is in a plastic state, all as hereinafter more fully setforth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a a plan view, showing a burial-casket placedwithin the molds ready to receive the coating of artificial marble, the bottom of the casket being uppermost. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the casket, showing the interior framing for supporting its walls. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a finished casket. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the same, and Fig. 5 is a plan View, showing the mold in which the bed is formed.

Referring to the parts by letters, A A represent the sides and ends of a burial-casket, the outer surface of which is composed of a combination of materials, which, when finished, has the appearance of natural marble. B B is the lid of the casket, the portion B being removable, so as to cover an opening in the lid, such opening being usual in caskets, for the purpose of exposing the face and bust of the corpse. This removable portion may, however, be dispensed with, if desired, and the whole lid made in one piece. 0 represents the-backing or inner walls of the casket, and G the inner or under surface of the lid. .This

portion of the casket may be made of slabs of slate hinged to each other, as shown by Fig. l of the drawings; or it may be made of Wood or metal, terra cotta, or any other suitable material possessing sufficient strength and rigidity. 0 represents perforations or holes formed through this backing or inner surface of the casket and lid, for the purpose hereinafter set forth. D is the mold, in which the exterior portion of the casket is formed. This mold is made of artificial marble, plaster-of-paris, or any other suitable material, and it may be of any desirable shape or contour, according to the design or shape to be given to the exterior surface of the casket or other article to be formed within it. E represents a core or inner frame-work or backing for the support of the inner walls of the casket while the outer coating of artificial marble is being molded on or united thereto. This framing E is made of separate pieces of wood or other suitable material, so that it can be removed when the casket is completed. E is a binding-strip of wood or other suitable material, placed around, and secured to, the upper edge of the walls of the casket, and which is designed to form a permanent portion of the completed article, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. D is the mold for forming the lid of the casket.

When it is desired to have the opening in the lid, before referred to, the raised portion at is formed in the mold, the removable portion D of the casket, in such case, being formed in a separate mold. G G represent the exterior clamping-frame, for holding the several portions of the mold D in proper position. H H are metal rods, having threaded ends, the said rods passing laterally through the frames G and on the outside of the side frames G. I I are thumb screws on the threaded ends of the rods, by means of which the whole frame-work is clamped and the molds held firmly together. J represents the base or support for the molds, having a central opening formed through. it for the passage of air to facilitate the dryingof the plastic material. K is a strip of rubber, secured around the outer edge of the finished casket, for the purpose of making a closely-fittingjoint with the lid when the latter isscrewed on, thereby excluding air from the interior of the casket.

The process of molding the artificial'marble upon the backing may be accomplished in two ways: First, the inner surface of the casket, being constructed as described, and supported by the framing E, is placed within the molds 1), bottom uppermost, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Theartificial marble is then prepared and poured into the molds in a semiliquid state, so that it will fill the space between the molds and the casket, and pass in through the holes 0 of the slate or other backing 0, thereby completely covering the backing, and forming a close union therewith, as clearlyshown by Fig. 3 of the drawing. When the artificial marble hardens and .dries, the molds and framing are removed from the casket, which will then appear as represented in Fig. 4 of the drawing. Second, the artificial man ble may be prepared in a plastic condition, and tinted with different wet mineral colors, and be put in the molds alternately until a sufficient coating is formed therein. The molds may then be placed around the casket and secured in position, as described, and the remaining space between the molds and casket be filled in with uncolored material in a liquid or semi-liquid condition, so as to unite the colored outer coating with the backing G of the casket, as before described. The outer surface of the casket after being so molded may be polished like other marbles, or finished by the varnishing process, as found most convenient or desirable. v

In the manufacture of small articles, or when it is desirable tohat' e the artificial marble on both sides of the backing or support, the molds are so arranged as to permit of the plastic material being cast on both sides of the perforated backing, and when removed from the mold both sides of the article may then be polished or varnished.

The hard-wood strip or binding E, which forms a permanent portion of the herein-described casket, is intended to receive the screws, by means of which the lid of the casket is fastened down, and in this way all danger of cracking or fracturing the artificial marble by forcing the screws into it is obviated.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- I 1. The herein-described method of constructing burial-caskets and other articles by castin g artificial marble upon a perforated backing or support in molds, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A burial-casket constructed, as described, with an interior perforated backing, O, and exterior molded surface A, and wooden strip E, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own. we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. DOUGLASS. JAMES E. SMITH.

Witnesses: B. O. FANAND, G. R. BROWN. 

